Daf 110a (דַּף ק״י ע״א)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזִי), it is written (כְּתִיב): "And the mighty ones, foundations of the earth" (וְהָאֵיתָנִים מוֹסְדֵי אָרֶץ). Since it is written (כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִּיב): "Hear, mountains" (שִׁמְעוּ הָרִים), who are the mountains? (מַאן אִינּוּן הָרִים), and who are the mighty ones (וּמַאן אִינּוּן אֵיתָנִים)? Rather (אֶלָּא), mountains and mighty ones are all one (הָרִים וְאֵיתָנִים כֻּלְּהוּ חַד).

However, there are three above, higher upon their heads (אֲבָל אִינּוּן תְּלַת עִלָּאִין לְעֵילָּא עַל רֵישַׁיְיהוּ), and three others below them (וְאִינּוּן תְּלַת לְתַתָּא מִנַּיְיהוּ). Yet all are one (וְכֻלְּהוּ חַד). The mountains above (הָרִים לְעֵילָּא), about which David said (וְעָלַיְיהוּ אָמַר דָּוִד), (Tehillim 121) "I lift my eyes unto the mountains" (אֶשָּׂא עֵינַי אֶל הֶהָרִים). These are the first three (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן תְּלַת קַדְמָאֵי). "And the mighty ones, foundations of the earth" (וְהָאֵיתָנִים מוֹסְדֵי אָרֶץ), these are the last three (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן תְּלַת בַּתְרָאֵי), beneath them (לְתַתָּא מִנַּיְיהוּ), two that support the House (תְּרֵי סַמְכֵי בֵּיתָא), and one, the joy of the House (וְחַד חֶדְוָה דְּבֵיתָא). These are called the "foundations of the earth" (וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן מוֹסְדֵי אָרֶץ). They are mighty (אֵיתָנִים אִינּוּן), and thus called mighty ones (וְאֵיתָנִים אִקְרוּן).

Sava, Sava (סָבָא סָבָא), surely you know (הָא יָדַעְתְּ): whoever wages battle (מַאן דְּאַגָּח קְרָבָא), if he does not know how to guard himself (אִי לָא יָדַע לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא), he will not win battles (לָא יִנְצַח קְרָבִין). He must strike with his hand (אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמָחָאָה בִּידֵיהּ), and guard in his thoughts (וּלְאִסְתַּמְּרָא בְּרַעְיוֹנֵיהּ), considering what the other thinks (מַה דִּיהֵא חָשִׁיב אַחֲרָא), and what he himself thinks (דִּיהֵא חָשִׁיב אִיהוּ).

The right hand always ready to strike (וְיַד יְמִינָא זְמִינָא תָּדִיר לְמָחָאָה), and his thoughts like the left hand (וּמַחֲשָׁבוֹי וִידָא שְׂמָאלִית), always ready to receive and protect (זְמִינָא תָּדִיר לְקַבְּלָא וּלְאִסְתַּמְּרָא), yet the right hand does everything (וִימִינָא כֹּלָּא). Now you said (הַשְׁתָּא אָמַרְתְּ): "And the mighty ones" (וְהָאֵיתָנִים), the mighty ones are below (אֵיתָנִים אִינּוּן לְתַתָּא), and mountains are above (וְהָרִים לְעֵילָּא). Guard yourself, Sava (אִסְתָּמַּר סָבָא), for another thought stands against you (דְּהָא רַעְיוֹנָא אַחֲרָא לָקֳבְלָךְ), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), (Tehillim 89) "Maskil of Eitan the Ezrachite" (מַשְׂכִּיל לְאֵיתָן הָאֶזְרָחִי). And this refers to Avraham the Sava (וְדָא אִיהוּ אַבְרָהָם סָבָא), who is called Eitan (וְאִקְרֵי אֵיתָן). And if Avraham is Eitan (וְאִי אַבְרָהָם אִיהוּ אֵיתָן), Yitzchak and Ya'akov are called mighty ones—Eitanim (יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב אֵיתָנִים אִקְרוּן).

Arise, Sava (קוּם סָבָא), for you know this thought strikes against yours (דְּהָא יַדָעְתְּ רַעְיוֹנָא דָּא הֲוֵי מָחֵי לְרַעְיוֹנָךְ). (Bamidbar 24) "He lifted his parable and said, mighty (Eitan) is your dwelling, and set your nest in the rock" (וְיִשָּׂא מְשָׁלוֹ וַיֹּאמַר אֵיתָן מוֹשָׁבֶךָ וְשִׂים בַּסֶּלַע קִנֶּךָ). Eitan refers to the morning of Avraham (אֵיתָן: דָּא בֹּקֶר דְּאַבְרָהָם). And thus it is written (וְהַיְינוּ, דִּכְתִּיב), (Bereishit 44) "The morning was light" (הַבֹּקֶר אוֹר). This is the pillar upon which the whole world stands (דָּא עַמּוּדָא, דְּכָל עָלְמָא קַיְּימָא עָלֵיהּ), and its illumination Avraham inherited (וּנְהִירוּ דִּילֵיהּ מֵאַבְרָהָם יָרִית). It is called "a river that goes forth from Eden" (נָהָר הַיּוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן אִקְרֵי).

If, Sava, Sava (אִי סָבָא סָבָא), another thought opposes you (הָא רַעְיוֹנָא אַחֲרָא לָקֳבְלָךְ), and you do not know how to guard yourself (וְלָא יָדַעְתְּ לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא), how will you wage war? (הֵיכִי מַגִּיחִין קְרָבָא). Sava, where is your strength now? (סָבָא, אָן הוּא תּוּקְפָּא דִּילָךְ), surely, (Kohelet 9) "the battle is not to the mighty" (וַדַּאי לֹא לַגִּבּוֹרִים הַמִּלְחָמָה). It is written (כְּתִיב), "Maskil of Eitan the Ezrachite" (מַשְׂכִּיל לְאֵיתָן הָאֶזְרָחִי), and it is written (וּכְתִיב), "Maskil of David" (מַשְׂכִּיל לְדָוִד). This is the river that goes forth from Eden (דָּא נָהָר הַיּוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן), who served as interpreter for David (דְּאִיהוּ תּוּרְגְמָן לְדָוִד), to make known to him (לְאוֹדָעָא לֵיהּ), those hidden supernal words (מֵאִינּוּן מִלִּין סְתִימִין עִלָּאִין).

Thus, Maskil is that river flowing from Eden (אִי מַשְׂכִּיל אִיהוּ נָהָר דְּנָפִיק מֵעֵדֶן). Eitan the Ezrachite refers to Avraham (אֵיתָן הָאֶזְרָחִי אַבְרָהָם), who is certainly above (אִיהוּ לְעֵילָּא וַדַּאי). This I know (הָא יְדַעְנָא). Yet even though I am Sava (וְאַף עַל גַּב דַּאֲנָא סָבָא), against this thought I strike (עַל רַעְיוֹנָא דָּא מָחֵינָא). "Eitan the Ezrachite" comprises two levels (אֵיתָן הָאֶזְרָחִי, תְּרֵין דַּרְגִּין אִינּוּן). Just as you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), "The morning was light" (בֹּקֶר אוֹר). "Light" is Avraham (אוֹר, הוּא אַבְרָהָם). "Morning" is the river (בֹּקֶר הוּא נָהָר). Likewise here (אוּף הָכִי), "Eitan the Ezrachite" (אֵיתָן הָאֶזְרָחִי): Ezrach is Avraham (אֶזְרָח, הוּא אַבְרָהָם). Eitan, as stated previously (אֵיתָן, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר), is that river flowing and emerging from Eden (דָּא הַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגֵיד וְנָפִיק מֵעֵדֶן).

Now, Sava (הַשְׁתָּא סָבָא), arise and stand upon your chariot (קוּם קָאִים עַל רְתִיכָךְ), for now you may fall and be unable to stand again (דְּהַשְׁתָּא תִּנְפּוֹל וְלָא תִּיכוּל לְמֵיקָם). Behold, King Shlomo is coming (הָא שְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא, אָתֵי), with his army and his chariot (בְּחֵילוֹי וּרְתִיכוֹי), his mighty warriors and horsemen (וְגַבְרוֹי וּפָרָשׁוֹי), and he is coming against you (וְאָתֵי לָקֳבְלָךְ). Rise, go out from the field (קוּם פּוּק מִן חַקְלָא), so he does not find you there (דְּלָא יִשְׁכַּח לָךְ תַּמָּן).

For it is written (כְּתִיב), (Melakhim I 8) "And all the men of Yisrael gathered unto King Shlomo in the month of the mighty ones (Eitanim) at the feast" (וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה כָּל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיֶרַח הָאֵיתָנִים בֶּחָג וְגוֹ׳). The month in which the mighty ones were born (יֶרַח דְּאִתְיְלִידוּ בֵּיהּ הָאֵיתָנִים). And who are they? (וּמַאן אִינּוּן). The Patriarchs (אֲבָהָן), who are called the mighty ones of the world (וְאִינּוּן אֵיתָנֵי עוֹלָם). This month is Tishrei (וַיָּרַח דָּא, אִיהוּ תִּשְׁרֵי), when the alphabet turns backward (דְּאַלְפָא בֵּיתָא אַהְדָּר לְמַפְרֵעַ), from below upward (מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא). Moreover, from your own words (וְתוּ מִמִּילָּךְ), it is proper that you leave the field (יֵאוֹת דְּתִפּוֹק מִן חַקְלָא), and not be found there (וְלָא תִּשְׁתְּכַח תַּמָּן).

If it had been written (אִילוּ כְּתִיב), "Maskil Eitan the Ezrachite" (מַשְׂכִּיל אֵיתָן הָאֶזְרָחִי), as you said (כִּדְקָאָמַרְתְּ). But now that it is written (הַשְׁתָּא דִּכְתִּיב), "Maskil for Eitan the Ezrachite" (מַשְׂכִּיל לְאֵיתָן הָאֶזְרָחִי), your battle is nothing (לֵית קְרָבָךְ כְּלוּם), and you must leave the field (וְתִפּוֹק מִן חַקְלָא), against your will (בְּעַל כָּרְחָךְ), and not appear there (וְלָא תִּתְחָזֵי תַּמָּן).

If, Sava, poor and unfortunate (אִי סָבָא עַנְיָא מִסְכְּנָא), how can you leave? (הֵיכִי תֵּפּוֹק). If so (אִי הָכִי), they will defeat you (יִנְצְחוּן לָךְ), and you will flee from the field (וְתַּעֲרוֹק מִן חַקְלָא). Then all people of the world will pursue after you (כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא יִרְדְּפוּן אֲבַתְרָךְ), and you will have no face (וְלֵית לָךְ אַנְפִּין) to show before humanity forever (לְאִתְחֲזָאָה קָמֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְעָלְמִין).

Here I say (הָכָא אוֹמֵינָא), do not leave the field (דְּלָא אִפּוֹק מִן חַקְלָא), and here face King Shlomo face-to-face (וְהָכָא אִתְחָזֵי אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין בִּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא), and all the men of Yisrael (וְכָל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל), and his mighty warriors, horsemen, and chariots (וְגוּבְרִין וּפָרָשִׁין וּרְתִיכִין דִּילֵיהּ). Kudsha Berikh Hu will help you, Sava (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יְסַיֵּיעַ לָךְ סָבָא), for you are weary of strength (דְּהָא לָאֵי חֵילָא אַנְתְּ). Arise, Sava (קוּם סָבָא), strengthen yourself with your might and be courageous (אִתְגַּבָּר בְּחֵילָךְ וְאִתְתָּקַּף), for until this day (דְּעַד יוֹמָא דָּא), you have been a mighty warrior among warriors (הֲוֵית גִּיבָּר תַּקִּיף בְּגוּבְרִין).